Soap-holder



(No Model.) I G. H. ALLEN.

SOAP'HOLDER.

No. 312,601. Patented Feb. 24, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. ALLEN, OF AYER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOAP-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,601, dated February 24:, 1885.

Application filed November 6, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ayer, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and. convenient Soap Holder, the same being clearly shown in the following description, which, with the accompanying drawings, constitute the specification.

Soap-holders have heretofore been made of sheet metal pierced with small" holes, or of woven wire,these materials being respectively known in technical terms as foraminous or reticulated metal. Holders thus made do not admit ofa sufficiently free flow of water in upon the soap to be dissolved, and are somewhat complicated and costly in their construction. My new holder is simple and cheap in its construction, and admits the free flow of water upon the soap from every direction. In its construction I do not use either foraminous or reticulated metal in any part thereof. It consists of three parts-a receptacle for the soap consisting of a wire wound helically, a suitable handle for the same, and a fixed cover.

For a more perfect description of my invention reference willbe made to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents aview of my improved soap'holder in its normal shape, or in readiness for use,'while Fig. 2 is a view of the same opened to receive the soap.

In Fig. l, A represents the receptacle; B,a handle to the same, consisting of wires twisted together for a certain distance and thence continued downward individually, as shown at O CO, terminating within the lower end of the receptacle A, inclosing and securely rc taining the same.

D represents the cover to the receptacle A, and is fixed to the handle B at or near the point where the wires 0 O 0 separate to inclose the said receptacle.

In Fig. 2 the receptacle A is represented as drawn down to receive the soap E, this variation in the receptacle being produced by pushing the spirals of the same together, the said receptacle being made of spring-wire wound helically in its normal position, as. in Fig. 1, closes itself up against the cover D, but as oocasion requires may be drawn downward, as already shown, so as to provide ample space to place the soap within the receptacle,which being done and the hand havingbeen removed the said receptacle will at once resume the position shown in Fig. 1.

' The receptacle A is provided with the loop H, by which it is attached to the wire 0, to serve as a stay or guide to the receptacle in the act of opening and shutting, as described.

The receptacle A is inclosed loosely within the wires 0 O C, so as not to restrain the said receptacle in'the free opening and shutting of the same; or, in other words, the relation of the said wires 0 C C to the receptacle A is such that were the latter to be placed centrally within the former there would be no place of contactbetween them excepting where theloop H encircles one of the wires 0 and where the said wires 0 O O retain the receptacle A at its lower extremity.

The receptacle may be used for other purposes than holding soapsuch as holding chemicals for the purpose of dissolving them, or holding an egg in order to boil itwithout the danger of its being broken.

Having described myinvention, what I desire to secureby Letters Patent is" As a new article of manufacture, a soapholder consisting of a handle provided with radial wires or arms spaced and bent apart as shown, and a helical spring located within said wires or arms, the said spring being of such length that whenexpanded it will extend from end to end of the wires, and when compressed will occupy a much less space,substantially as set forth.

' GEORGE H. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. PARSONS, HORACE C. HovEY. 

